GRENOBLE, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CEA-Leti today announced that Prof. Alim-Louis Benabid, chairman of the board of CLINATEC, has received the Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson’s Research from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for his pioneering work on treating Parkinson’s disease (PD). The prize, and a $100,000 award (€75,624), recognizes Benabid’s contributions to developing innovative surgical methods for treating severe PD. Benabid invented deep brain stimulation (DBS), a standard method of treating advanced PD, in which electrodes placed in the patients’ brain create pulses that eliminate tremors associated with the disease. "Professor Benabid's contributions to the field of Parkinson's disease research, and to improving lives of those living with the disease, are well-documented," said Todd Sherer, CEO of the Michael J. Fox Foundation. "Today, deep brain stimulation remains a viable option for many with PD, and one that can offer life-altering results. Since his groundbreaking work with DBS, Prof. Benabid has refused to rest on his laurels, but instead, he has remained committed to improving on existing treatments for PD. We are proud to recognize him for a lifetime of devotion to this goal."